promise me that you'll return home alive. That's all I ask."
"I promise."
Baron Rabshakeh opened a jar and grabbed a chocolate chip cookie. "Doree, have you got that puzzle solved yet?"
She came running, giggling. "Of course not, Grandpa. Can I have a cookie?"
He gave her the cookie, mussed her hair, and left.
Carl called from the back of cart. "Have you ever been stopped by a convoy before?"
Randolph turned and looked at him. "I've never been stopped by one, and I've never seen one. Are they really dangerous?"
"That's what's so funny," said Carl. "They've been know to come into a place, haul off a few dozen people, even kill someone. Tonight, they didn't even act like they were interested in finding an Oriental. I think they had something else on their minds. Several of them spent a long time going through your stuff, Randy. They didn't find anything, and they didn't look through my stuff or Mike's stuff at all. I've been around convoys searching for someone a couple of times, but this one was strange."
Sandy said, "Turn left by that spruce, and follow that trail by the creek. It comes out at a clearing where you can see most of the campground. It's almost a full moon, so we should be able to see it clearly."
Michael turned and in less than a kilometer drove onto a large clearing with the campground below them.
"Michael," said Annette. "Have you ever seen the entire campground? It's hard to visualize it all when you're living in it. It's beautiful from up here." Her low-pitched voice sounded quiet and very soothing. "The meeting shed seems like the center when you're down there, but from up here you can see that the ball fields take up over half the campgrounds. The only thing you can't see from here are the rows of carts parked near the entrance. They detract from the overall beauty anyway. Streams, or creeks, depending on where you come from surround the campgrounds. What do you call them where you're from, Mike?"
Mike stared at the campgrounds, both hands on the steering wheel. Annette had scooted next to him by well-timed gestures as she talked. Her long blond hair blew past his face in the gentle evening breeze. "Annette, I think I like the word 'stream' better."
"Now that's not fair, Mike," said Annette. "I didn't ask what you liked better, but what you called them where you come from." A shooting star lit them, and they all looked heavenward.
"They don't call them anything where they come from," said Aidan. The lights of the campgrounds went out.
"I said we wouldn't have much time tonight," said Carl. "Would we like to try again for tomorrow? I'll ask Jess this time, if you don't want to, Aidan."
She shook her head.
Mike turned the cart around and headed back the way he had come.
Michael and Randolph didn't move after the first morning service. Jess Williams walked up and sat in the row behind them.
"Mornin'. Sleep well las' nite?"
Stretching and turning, both men nodded.
"Carl wants t' use ma caht agin t'nite caus' y'all di'n' hev' much time las' night. But Ah notice you was gone awhile w'Aidan."
"We had just left the campgrounds," said Michael, "when the convoy showed up. They left a soldier to guard us and we came directly back as soon as the convoy passed us on the return trip."
"An thas' all y' did?"
"Well, we had time to talk to Aidan alone. If you mean anything improper, neither of us touched her, or even came close to her."
"Ah b'lieves y', but y' did sumpin' impropah b' leavin' th' campgroun's w' her 'lone like 'at. Noa'm'lly Ah leave well 'nuff 'lone, but seein's how i's ma cart, I gaw some say so. I thaw fum t' way she talk you's jes' rid'n' 'raun' wheah people kin see y'all. 'T'aint right t' be off wi' a young lady 'lone like that aft dahk. 'Tic'larly that-theah young lady. I's not good fo' yo' charc'ter. Naow, if'n ya'll use mah cart ag'in, ya'll'll haveta stay 'round uthuh people, understand?"
"Are Carl, Sandy, and Annette enough other people?" asked Michael.
"Them's fahn, 'spesh'ly Carl. You je's watch yo'se'ves, heah?" Jess slapped both men on the shoulders, got up and walked off.
"I guess he talked with you," said Carl, walking up from the other direction. "He said that we could use his cart again, but that he wanted to talk to you first."
"He talked to us about being out alone after dark in his cart with Aidan," said Michael.
"He's right," said Carl. "You really have to guard your propriety, especially with Aidan. She has a reputation, and it's not a real good one. He did say we could use his cart?"
Michael nodded.
"Good."
Captain Bensen looked one more time at the log book and repair order before answering the Master Sergeant standing in front of him.
"We might be able to. Is there any possible way to get the phase six tracking system back on line before that Senator gets here next week? And did the parts come in yet for guidance control and tracking of the conventional missiles?"
"Sir, that guidance control hasn't been in the parts catalog for over ten years. The original manufacturer isn't even in business. The government would be a lot better off just replacing the entire system. The parts will have to be custom made, and when they're installed all we'll have is a system up to thirty-year-old specs. A new system will actually save money. Could you talk to Senator Thurber about it when he's here?"
"The phase six tracking system will be on line by the time he gets here. It's in good shape -- only about 5 years old. Have a seat, Sergeant." Captain Bensen looked around the small, bare supply office. "I can't even talk to Colonel Carson about supplies. All someone like Senator Thurber will be interested in is whatever keeps the heat off him and what can get him reelected. He's probably never heard of a guidance control. You would simply be amazed by what some people do not know."
"I know. These systems weren't designed to function properly this far north in this cold."
"Try not to get personally involved because there's nothing we can do to change the system. Just do your job. You've only got a few more years to retirement. When you do, come back to me for a recommendation anytime."
The sergeant left without another word.
Carl drove Jess's cart around to the side of the auditorium, with Sandy by his side and Annette in the second seat.
"Where are Aidan and Randy?" asked Annette.
Michael sat behind Annette. "Randolph is looking for a missing book. As for Aidan, you girls should keep better track of your own."
"There she is," exclaimed Sandy.
Aidan appeared from the rear of the dining hall and walked past the men's dorm as Randolph emerged. He spoke to her; she left and returned with a book. Aidan stepped closer to Randolph as they walked back. Their fingers touched, intertwined. Michael moved next to Annette.
"You only met yesterday," teased Carl. "Climb aboard and hang on. We'll go back to the same meadow we had to leave so prematurely last night. We'll just get there a little faster with me driving."
"Remember, this is a borrowed cart," cried Aidan. "So don't tear it up like you owned it." She held the sidebars with both hands.
"Re-ugh-lax. This cart does - not - go - fast - enough to do any-thing dangerous," said Carl. They turned the corner by the spruce on two wheels.
At the meadow, he slowed to a stop at the top of a knoll which opened up to the campgrounds. Two other carts were already there, but the four occupants took no notice of them.
"They're married," whispered Carl.
The fading sunlight painted the campgrounds in golds, browns and yellows, with the dust and the blowing leaves breaking the light into a thousand dancing rays playing over the attendees below.
"It's beautiful," whispered Annette. "What do you see in it, Michael?"
Aidan and Randolph quietly walked about twenty meters down the knoll and sat.
Carl turned and watched them over his shoulder. "We might have to watch those two tonight."
"Here's a Bible, Randy," said Aidan. "Just like y
ou asked for. What happened to yours?"
"I left it on my bunk as I headed to the dining hall for lunch. I didn't think about it again until the evening service. I couldn't find it. I just thought that I'd misplaced it, so I didn't think about it again until after the service. But it's gone."
"I've never heard of someone taking a Bible before. Why would someone want to take that?"
They sat a few moments in silence, looking at the campgrounds. Randolph looked at Aidan. Her well-styled shoulder length hair was natural brunette. Every one of her features was small, very small, except her lips, which had too much lipstick. She was trim, but not thin.
"I'm not used to women who wear make-up."
Aidan noticed his attention. "I'm probably not like the women you're used to in many ways. Instead of telling me what I'm not, what am I to you?"
"Do you want a candid assessment?"
She cocked her head without grinning and thought for several seconds. "Yes."
"Michael still thinks that you could be very dangerous because you talk too much."
"I don't care what Michael thinks. What do you think? Besides, I live up to my word. I haven't even mentioned that I know you to anyone, not even Sandy or Annette. They're going to think I've turned into a snob. Now, what do you think about me?"
"Your dress ever since we've been here has been unpretentious. I couldn't describe any of your outfits. You changed after the service, just for tonight, into a very revealing dress. You're exposing yourself by the way you sit."
She didn't move and Randolph continued, "You're very attractive physically, but..." Randolph stopped and looked at the campgrounds.
"But
Empire 1: Humiliation Page 8